Chapter 220: Thunder Breathing Sword Technique
It was, of course, impossible to teach sealing techniques in a restaurant, so Kushina decided to take Mugetsu to the residence where the Uzumaki clan's sealing arrays were set up.
That residence had plenty of space—aside from her living quarters, several rooms were dedicated to training and sealing practice.
As they walked halfway there, two Anbu suddenly appeared, wearing black cloaks and animal masks.
"Do you intend to take him to that location?" one of them asked in a calm tone. "That is not permitted."
"Why are there so many stupid rules?" Kushina said irritably, hands on her hips. "What's wrong with me bringing him there?"
Her tone was sharp. She had no intention of showing courtesy to the two Anbu who constantly monitored her.
"Besides," she added, frowning, "when Minato was here, you never said anything."
"Minato Namikaze had special authorization. His situation was different," the Anbu replied without emotion.
It was true—Minato was not only Kushina's partner but also Jiraiya's favored disciple. The higher-ups trusted him far more than most.
Mugetsu appeared slightly surprised when the two Anbu appeared, though in truth, it was merely an act. He had already noticed them with his Byakugan long ago.
In fact, the reason he had been accelerating his sealing progress was precisely to impress these two "cameras," building an image of himself as a naturally gifted ninja.
"Since there's some difficulty," Mugetsu said kindly, "let's go somewhere else. There should be a quiet spot nearby."
"If you say so, Mugetsu, then fine," Kushina replied, visibly calming down. She wasn't afraid of the Anbu, but she didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble for him.
The masked Anbu relaxed slightly, relieved that Mugetsu was reasonable. None of them wanted to provoke a conflict with a Jinchuriki—but they couldn't allow her to ignore orders either.
Soon, they found a shaded, quiet place nearby. There, Kushina began explaining the principles of the Four Symbols Seal.
"The Four Symbols Seal has an incredibly high ceiling," Kushina began. "The stronger the user, the more powerful the seal they can form. It also serves as the foundation for several advanced sealing techniques."
Mugetsu nodded, recalling his knowledge of the technique. That much was true. Minato had once improved it—combining two layers to form the Eight Trigrams Seal. Then there was the Reverse Four Symbols Seal, a technique of mutual destruction.
While the Reverse Four Symbols Seal had little use in combat, the Eight Trigrams Seal was extraordinary. Its first layer sealed the Nine-Tails, while the second converted any leaking chakra into the Jinchuriki's own chakra.
That meant even if Naruto never trained, his chakra reserves would still skyrocket over time—an incredibly broken design.
Their lesson continued for roughly three hours.
"I should head back," Kushina said, standing up. "Next time we meet, I'll give you the scroll for the Four Symbols Seal."
Her time outside was limited each day; she couldn't stay out indefinitely.
"What would you like for dinner? I'll prepare the ingredients," Mugetsu asked with a smile.
Kushina's eyes brightened. After a brief pause, she said, "Braised pork, Squirrel Mandarin Fish, and Magical Mapo Tofu."
"Got it," Mugetsu said, nodding.
"Goodbye! And make sure you practice your sealing techniques properly—Teacher Kushina can be very scary when she's angry!" she warned with a grin, waving cheerfully as she left, clearly in high spirits at the thought of her next meal.
"Goodbye," Mugetsu replied with a smile.
After she left, he sent a Shadow Clone to buy ingredients, while his main body headed to the southern border forest to meet his students.
"Teacher Mugetsu."
Shisui, who had been training, paused and greeted him respectfully. He couldn't tell if it was the real Mugetsu or a clone, but the one who came during their lessons was usually the main body.
Mugetsu nodded in response and began giving pointers on their technique.
When training drew to a close, he signaled for them to rest and started chatting casually.
"Teacher Mugetsu, was your mission successful this time?" Rin asked curiously.
This time, she hadn't seen Obito or Guy. Normally, if they had finished a mission, they would drop by afterward.
"There were a few twists," Mugetsu said after a moment, "but the result was quite good."
Though the process had been difficult, everyone had made significant progress.
"Hearing that from you puts me at ease," Rin said, smiling softly. "I was worried that Obito and Kakashi might fight during the mission."
"They both care about each other," she continued with a sigh, "but neither wants to admit it."
From her perspective, both boys were hopelessly stubborn—tsundere types who only knew how to hide concern behind sarcasm.
"Maybe they like it that way," Mugetsu said with a quiet chuckle.
He suspected that if Kakashi ever spoke to Obito without a hint of mockery, Obito would probably feel uncomfortable.
"Eh? Really?" Rin asked in surprise.
"Just a guess," Mugetsu replied lightly.
"If that's true," Rin said, giggling, "then I guess Kakashi and Obito get along perfectly every day."
Mugetsu smiled faintly, glancing at her. In his previous life, he'd always wondered—who did Rin Nohara truly like?
Rin cared deeply for Obito—always helping him with little things and quickly treating his wounds when he got hurt. She was just as attentive to Kakashi, gathering their friends to celebrate the day he was promoted to Jonin.
Mugetsu couldn't tell who twelve-year-old Rin might come to like someday, but after months of observation, he was certain that eight-year-old Rin had no romantic feelings for either boy.
Her care for Obito was like that of an older sister—worrying for him when he acted recklessly and helping him without hesitation.
As for Kakashi, her attitude carried a trace of girlish admiration, mixed with genuine friendship.
If Mugetsu had to make a guess, Kakashi probably had a better chance—Rin's feelings for Obito seemed more familial than romantic. Close, yes, but not in the way that leads to love.
Still, that was only Mugetsu's deduction. The three of them were far too young, and the future could always change. Perhaps Rin would grow up and decide she didn't like either of them at all.
…
That evening, Kakashi woke up from his bed. He made himself a simple dinner, ate quietly, and after a short walk, began to practice Lightning Breathing once more.
Obito's Sharingan had pressured him, and Might Guy's challenge still loomed. Kakashi wished he could turn back time—to reclaim all the wasted days he hadn't spent training.
He set up a wooden training post in the yard, walked a few steps back, drew his White Fang Short Sword, and took a stance.
Then he closed his eyes.
He was recalling the move he'd used during the mission—a sword strike born from merging the Hatake Sword Style with Lightning Breathing.
"Hmph."
Kakashi's breathing shifted rhythmically. He guided his breath to carry Chakra, channeling it into his legs.
"Thunderclap Flash!"
Whoosh!
Kakashi's eyes snapped open. Lightning flared from his feet as his body shot forward, faster than sight.
Thud!
The training post split cleanly in two, falling to the ground with an impossibly smooth cut.
"This move still needs refinement," Kakashi muttered, lowering his blade.
During the mission, he hadn't had time to analyze the technique. Now, repeating it in calm conditions, he noticed a flaw.
Speed. The technique was too fast.
While speed was normally an advantage, moving faster than his own reaction time was dangerous. The Thunderclap Flash's linear charge meant that if his opponent saw through the movement, he'd be exposed—unable to adjust mid-attack.
After pondering a while, Kakashi came up with an idea.
"If I can make the Thunderclap Flash turn, it'll become much more flexible."
He sheathed his blade, glancing at the night sky. "I'll ask Teacher Mugetsu during training tomorrow."
Mugetsu's speed far surpassed his own, yet he never lost control. There must be something to learn from that.
Kakashi washed up and went to bed around ten.
…
The next morning.
"Ahh, that was a great sleep." Obito stretched lazily, feeling refreshed.
"Why's it so bright already? I feel like I've slept forever." He blinked at the sunlight pouring through the window.
When he looked at the clock, he froze.
The hour hand pointed at nine.
Given how bright it was outside, it was clearly nine in the morning—and he'd returned home at noon the previous day.
"Wait… that means I slept from noon yesterday until nine today?!" Obito's eyes widened. He had nearly slept for a full day.
For a moment, panic replaced all thought. He regretted not waking up at night to tell Rin about his heroic battle.
"No, wait! I'm late!" Obito suddenly shouted, realizing what mattered most.
He dashed downstairs. "Grandma, why didn't you wake me up?"
"I saw how tired you were," his grandmother replied kindly. "I thought you could use more rest."
Obito couldn't bring himself to blame her. Grabbing a piece of bread, he bit into it mid-run and sprinted toward the South Border Forest.
By the time he arrived, Mugetsu was already instructing his students.
"Late on the first day after a mission?" Kakashi said dryly as he practiced, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Obito wouldn't be late without a reason," Rin said softly. "He probably helped an old lady again."
Her words made Obito scratch his head awkwardly. Usually, that was the reason he was late—but not today.
"Hehe… I accidentally overslept," Obito admitted with an embarrassed grin.
"It's fine," Mugetsu said with an understanding smile. "You all worked hard on the mission. Let's start training."
Relieved, Obito smiled brightly. Mugetsu never scolded over trivial matters.
By noon, Obito's energy had returned in full.
"Kakashi!" he shouted, pointing dramatically. "I challenge you!"
<><><><><>
[Check Out My Patreon For +40 Advance Chapters On All My Fanfics!]
[[email protected]/FanficLord03]
[Every 100 Power Stones = +1 Bonus Chapter]
[Join Our Discord Community For Updates & Events]
[https://discord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9]